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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
temporary aid to nlr Belly in speculating up9n the credulity of his own countrymen.- I feel pretty confident that there is scarcely an individual of ordi- nary intelligence in such matters in Costa-Rica or in Nicaragua who believes that nlr Belly has any intention, or capacity of executing the work contemplated in his Contract. It is a work utterly impracticable in the present day; It is useless to enter into statistics. The Contract was a peice of folly from the beginning; and if the parties to it were temporarily persuaded of its practacability and of the bona-fide inten- tion of Mr Belly to carry it into execution, they must certainly now be undeceived upon these points; and any attempt on the part of Costa Rica to renew the Humbug, could only be construed into a revival of the political feelings and policy which prevailed at the time of its original formation. Not only this. She runs great risk of compromising herself with }Ir Belly. As the Contract now stands it possesses no validity. It binds neither Republic. Nicaragua has not adopted it; and in all probability, on due consideration she never will. I have no Copy of the Contract before me, and have to write from very imperfect recol- lections of 'it; but according to my memory, it is a joint contract on the part of the two Republics, granting certain rights, and priviledges to Mr Belly under certain conditions. Suppose }Ir Belly should say that he was ready to comply with his conditions; and that he only waited the ratification of ths Contract by Costa Rica to begin the work. Costa Rica ratifies the Contract accordingly; and thus binds herself to place }Ir Belly in possession of the route and in the full exercise of all the rights and priviledges ceded to him. This she is not able to do without the consent of Nicaragua; which is not yet obtained. Thus she assumes responsibilitie3 which she i,c; not able to redeem. She need not expect to escape from these responsibilities on the plea, that the Contract is void until it shall be ratified by both Republics. :Not so. By ratifying it herself, independent of Nicaragua, she makes the con- tracts her own-a specif!l one as between her and Jf r Belly-and if she chooses thus to assume voluntarily obligations which she finds she cannot execute, she necessarily expo8es herself to the penalties of their non-performance.- Now in view of all these considerations, is it not infinitely better for Costa Rica to pause a while before precipitating herself in a measure so out of time-so uncalled for-ancl so liable to misconstruction-a measure which promises no possible good of any kind; and is yet to all appearances, pregnant with the grayest evils. D_oes Your Excellency 'really believe that the opening of said route is practicable; and that l\fr Belly will actually accomplish it? Then why not refer him to Nicaragua, to whom the route belongs. and who is alone interested in the enterprise. Why does he apply to Your Excellenc_y? If Nicaragua ratifies the Contract l\Ir Belly has all he desires; if Costa Rica ratifies it alone, upon her own responsibility, without the consent of Nicaragua, }Ir Belly gains nothing l)y it; for your excellency-as I haYe already said-cannot place him in possession of the route. You cannot oblige Nicaragua to follow your Example and ratify the contract. Thm, it will be perceived, that even if the contemplated enterprise were prac- ticable, and that Your Excellency has fnll faith in its being executed-
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